Rural and curbside mailboxes are a common sight. The attached signal flag identifies when there is mail to pick up or has been delivered. Many mailbox manufacturers provide a means for the replacement of the carrier signal flag. This is desirable in the event that the flag is damaged or if a decorative aftermarket flag is to be installed. Although standards for sizes, shapes and operational requirements of mailboxes and, to a lesser degree carrier signal flags, are set by the U.S. Postal Service, the mechanism for the attachment of the flag to the mailbox is not defined or described in the standards. The only parameter is that the mechanism provides for conformance to the operational requirements. Therefore, most mailbox manufacturer's signal flag mounting mechanisms have one or more unique features. This is an inconvenience in that the consumer must contact the mailbox manufacturer to obtain an original equipment replacement flag and also in that a properly functioning decorative aftermarket flag may be eliminated as an option.
Thus, there is a need for a mailbox signal flag mounting apparatus that can be mounted to any of a number of different types of mailboxes. The following represents a list of known related art:
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The teachings of each of the above-listed citations (which does not itself incorporate essential material by reference) are herein incorporated by reference. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.